New Guinea Tigerfish

Common name(s) New Guinea Tigerfish, Campbell's Tigerfish New Guinea Siamese Tigerfish
Photo © Graham Weston
This specimen was caught in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea by Graham Weston, who contributed this photo. It measured about 40cm/16" in length.

Scientific name Datnioides campbelli

Synonyms Coius campbelli (not valid, see discussion).

Size 18" (45cm) or larger.

Origin Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea: brackish river mouths, coastal lagoons and rivers above tidal influence including the Fly, Lorentz and Oriomo rivers.

Tank setup A large tank (100 gallons plus for an adult) with open swimming space, subdued lighting.

Compatibility Predatory, will eat smaller fish. Keep with other large non-aggressive fish. Reported to be very aggressive towards others of its own species.

Temperature 23-27^oC (73-81^oF)

Water chemistry Maintain in brackish conditions or medium hard and alkaline freshwater.

Feeding A predator, but it should be possible to train them to take dead meaty foods such as whitebait, cockles, mussels and prawn/shrimp

Sexing Unknown

Breeding Unknown

Comments
This Couis/Datnioides species is rarely available in the aquatic trade, and is likely to be expensive when encountered. They are easily distinguished from other Datnioides by the gold base colouration and the indistinct edges to the black bars and irregular black spots. The head region can appear greenish. The body colour can appear very dark at times, particularly in stressed specimens, with the head almost black.

Back to Siamese Tigerfish species list

Back to Home page

This website was last updated on 18th January 2008

Common name(s)	New Guinea Tigerfish, Campbell's Tigerfish	`Photo © Graham Weston` This specimen was caught in the Fly River, Papua New Guinea by Graham Weston, who contributed this photo. It measured about 40cm/16" in length.
Scientific name	Datnioides campbelli
Synonyms	Coius campbelli (not valid, see discussion).
Size	18" (45cm) or larger.
Origin	Indonesia (Irian Jaya) and Papua New Guinea: brackish river mouths, coastal lagoons and rivers above tidal influence including the Fly, Lorentz and Oriomo rivers.
Tank setup	A large tank (100 gallons plus for an adult) with open swimming space, subdued lighting.
Compatibility	Predatory, will eat smaller fish. Keep with other large non-aggressive fish. Reported to be very aggressive towards others of its own species.
Temperature	23-27^oC (73-81^oF)
Water chemistry	Maintain in brackish conditions or medium hard and alkaline freshwater.
Feeding	A predator, but it should be possible to train them to take dead meaty foods such as whitebait, cockles, mussels and prawn/shrimp
Sexing	Unknown
Breeding	Unknown
Comments	This Couis/Datnioides species is rarely available in the aquatic trade, and is likely to be expensive when encountered. They are easily distinguished from other Datnioides by the gold base colouration and the indistinct edges to the black bars and irregular black spots. The head region can appear greenish. The body colour can appear very dark at times, particularly in stressed specimens, with the head almost black.